WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2023
BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 5A
Homer City Council to seek sewage feasibility study
By HANNAH CAUDELL
The Homer City Council
has discussed for some time
the possibility of locating a
sewage system in the city
and a step was taken at the
meeting held last week to
move forward on this.
The city council agreed
to seek a feasibility study
on a sewage system for the
downtown area.
The council is still active
ly seeking for grants to fund
the project.
The feasibility study re
quires that town officials
and potential sewage cus
tomers meet to discuss wa
ter use records and future
land use projections. If the
project is deemed feasible
and is approved, property
values could also increase
upon the completion of the
project, city leaders state.
Citizens will have the op
tion of using a septic tank or
the sewage system.
The council must also
meet with the county staff
to confirm the location and
capacity of their sewer.
Other planning and fund
ing requirements are includ
ed.
The council hopes to
eventually extend the sew
age system downtown to
Banks County High School,
if the project is feasible. The
feasibility study will also
aid in estimating the cost of
such a project.
The feasibility study will
be conducted at a cost of
$24,500.
OTHER
BUSINESS
In other business at the
meeting:
•the council discussed a
bid from Waste Pro for gar
bage rates throughout the
city. The council agreed to
send a letter to Waste Man
agement about some of the
concerns of the citizens
about their services. Coun
cil member James Dumas
also expressed a need for
any instances of unsatis
factory services to be doc
umented.
the council unanimously
voted to raise the garbage
rates to $25 per can start
ing Jan. 1, 2024. Council
members hope that with this
change, the rate could re
main static for a few years
to account for already grow
ing prices.
•the council appointed
Robert Davidson as the
grant administrator for the
Homer Fire Department.
Davidson’s term will last
four years and he will be
responsible for identifying
grant opportunities and ap
plying for potential grants
that could help the fire de
partment fund approved
projects. Davidson has
been successful in securing
two grants for the fire de
partment thus far. He has
secured a $94,000 grant
for the retention and retain-
ment of employees, and a
$104,000 grant for air packs
and breathing apparatuses
for the firemen.
•the council discussed
plans on Dec. 1 to honor
the late Jerry Payne. Payne
was a member of the city
council who had served the
city for 17 years as a council
member, and as Mayor Pro
Tem for 13 years.
•Downtown Develop
ment Authority Treasur
er Kellie Jones asked the
council to approve Kelby
Walkuski as a member of
the DDA. The council ap
proved unanimously to
allow Walkuski to serve
one term. Two other cur
rent members of the DDA,
Laurie Erwin and Debbie
Massey, were also approved
for reappointment.
•it was reported that sur
veyors continue to assess
the possible construction on
the roundabout on Historic
Homer Highway. Tentative
plans have been mapped by
the Georgia Department of
Transportation to construct
a roundabout on Historic
Homer Highway near the
Golden Pantry, Dollar Gen
eral, and other smaller busi
nesses that will be affected
by the construction. Dumas
suggested that the council
write a letter to the district
engineer or to the state rep
resentative about their con
cerns on losing businesses
in the area due to the con
struction. Parking lots will
be affected at certain busi
nesses in the local area, in
cluding Dollar General and
Golden Pantry. Currently,
engineers working with
the Georgia Department of
Transportation are trying to
mitigate the growing con
cerns throughout the plan
ning phase.
•it was reported that the
construction on the well
on Evans Street has come
to a halt for the time being.
The council is waiting on
equipment for the project
to continue. In the mean
time, the city is continuing
to purchase water from the
county.
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COMPETES IN 4-H PROJECT ACHIEVEMENT
Banks County participants in the 4-H Project Achievement included: First Place-Joshton Haynes, Elise Humphries, Annastyn Meeks, Emmy Molway, Anna Perry, Scarlett Sparks and Kins
ley Thomason; Second Place-Emmit Ammons, Nathan Bridegroom, Maddie Chandler, Melody Kelley, Luke McEntire, Sylus Morgan, Jase Roberts and Branson Standridge; Third Place,
Zoey Layfield, Paighton Maney, Madi Murray, Katelyn Ngo, Kinsley Wiseman, Lucy Standridge; and Honorable Mention-Lucy Standridge.
RETIRED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES MEET
Photo by Anelia Chambers
At the October meeting of the Northeast Georgia NARFE Chapter 1818, Aetna repre
sentative Patricia Wright and GEHA representative Sheila Payne spoke. Shown are: (first
row, L-R) Jane Finley, Patricia Wright (Aetna Representative), Roger Finley, Sheila Payne
(GEHA Representative), Eileen Brennan; (second row) David Hinson, Marge Oliveres, Doro-
thye Abramson, Connie Hammonds, Elaine Howell, Jackie White, Deborah Ragsdale, Mag
gie Spears; (third row) George Allen, Ms. Mcelroy, Brenda Boling, Terry Biering, Llewellyn
Landreth; and (fourth row) Jack Oliveres, Roger Camp, Jim Gothard Keith Mcelroy, Brenda
Jordan and Scott Brennan. Not pictured: Anelia and Alex Chambers and Priscilla Gothard.
Rotary Club holding food drive
The Banks County Ro
tary Club is sponsoring a
Thanksgiving food drive
this holiday season.
‘We are calling all citi
zens with a heart for service
to assist with the food drive
events and/or donate food
to our project,” Rotary Club
president Doug Cheek stat
ed.
Volunteers are needed
to staff collection events,
assist with organizing and
transporting food dona
tions.
Email sandrag5959@
gmail.com to sign up as a
volunteer.
Food collection will be
held at the Homer Fire De
partment, 217 Sycamore
Street, Homer, on Wednes
day, November 22, from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
DONATION
BARRELS
Donation Drop-Off Bar
rel Locations include the
following:
•Banks County Chamber
CVB Office - 106 Com
merce Commons, Com
merce.
•Michael Housworth Ed
ward Jones Office - 1953
Homer Road, Commerce.
•Bountiful Hills Senior
Living - 200 Bolton Drive,
Commerce.
•Rock Springs Baptist
Church - 747 Rock Springs
Road, Lula.
•Banks County Tax Com
missioner’s Office - 150
Hudson Valley Drive, Ho
mer.
•Document Destruction
Services - 2160 Damascus
Road, Homer.
•Banks County Middle
School - 712 Thompson
Street, Homer.
•Town of Homer - 943
Historic Homer Highway,
Homer.
“With food prices soar
ing, our focus is on support
ing our neighbors in need to
ensure that food is available
for everyone as we go into
the holiday season,” Cheek
states.
Recycle this newspaper!
BID NO. 2023-126
GRAVEL HAULING BY THE TON
FOR BANKS COUNTY
The Banks County Board of Commissioners will be accepting
bids for gravel hauling for Calendar Year 2024 on Wednesday,
December 6, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. at the Banks County Commis
sioners Office, 150 Hudson Ridge, Ste. 1, Homer, GA 30547
Bids submitted should state the price per ton for hauling gravel. The
terms of the contract will be for a 12-month period from January 1,
2024 - December 31,2024. Gravel is to be delivered within 24 hours
of contact and once work has begun it will be worked continuously
until completed. This bid cannot be transferred, assigned or subcon
tracted. However, the County shall have the right to obtain hauling
services from any source in case of emergency.
The following minimum qualifications apply for all bidders and
shall be submitted at the time of the bid opening:
1. Liability Insurance, with a minimum coverage of $1,000,000 per
occurrence during the term of the contract.
2. Worker’s Compensation Insurance during the term of the con
tract.
3. A copy of your Business License from City/County where your
business resides.
4. A completed W-9.
5. A completed E-Verify Affidavit.
6. A completed SAVE Affidavit
7. A minimum of one (1) Tandem Axle Dump Truck and one (1)
Spreader Truck.
8. Compliance with all federal, state and local laws.
For questions contact:
Banks County Commissioner’s Office,
150 Hudson Ridge, Ste. 1
Homer, GA 30547
Erin Decker
706-677-6800
All bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope and marked with the
words, “Bid Number 2023-126, Opening 9:00 a.m., Wednesday,
December 6,2023.” Any bid received after 9:00 a.m. will be rejected.
The Banks County Board of Commissioners reserves the right to ac
cept or reject any or all bids, to waive irregularities, informalities and
technicalities, and award the contract in the best interest of Banks
County.
